


I Chose These Battle Scars

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: I'm Sorry, Last words, M/M, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-29
Updated: 2013-11-29
Packaged: 2018-01-03 00:03:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1063284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When an angel dies, the explosion of grace is nothing short of nuclear. Dean is left with massive scarring.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Chose These Battle Scars

A [hypertrophic scar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertrophic_scars); condition characterized by excessive deposits of collagen resulting in a raised scar, they form most often at the sites of pimples, body piercings, cuts and burns. They often contain nerves and blood vessels. They generally develop after thermal or traumatic injury that involves the deep layers of the dermis

* * *

 

     Sam knows how Dean got those scars. They reached from his hands and wound up his arms, they were burned on his chest and down the inside line of his ribs. They hadn’t faded. Dean hadn’t worn short sleeves for years. He would keep his palms turned down to hide the marks that extended all the way to his fingers.  

     When stars fall to earth, they fall in flames. So it is when an angel dies. The explosion of grace is nothing short of nuclear. The shadow of their wings is scorched onto anything it touches.  He’d gotten there just minutes after it happened. Sam thought the burns would kill his brother; he could feel the heat from the blistered and cracked skin. Of course Dean said nothing about the pain. His skin was red and painful for days. It took six months for the scars to fully form. Three years after, there were still pinion feathers against his tan forearms, red and raised like the handprint on his shoulder; his chest was ribbed with the imprint of thick coverlets. Sam saw him running his finger over the contours and lines in the middle of the night.

“Killed a wolf with my bare hands.” He answered with his typical macho attitude when anyone asked about the scars he couldn’t cover up; the ones that reached up his neck and cheek where he’d buried his face in the angel’s shoulder.

 

_Dean whipped his head around to see Cas stumble backwards with the force of the blow. He caught him under the arms as the garrison fled. Castiel slumped forward, Dean went to his knees trying to support him. His hands found the blade in his stomach. “Let go.” he rasped softly._

_“No, Cas. You’re not gonna die.” he protested as he sat and cradled his angel to lie against his chest. “Cause if you do, I’m gonna come after you, you know I will.” his voice quivered and he began to choke on his words. He wrapped his arms tighter to keep Cas from slipping to the floor. “Just hold on, buddy, I’m not gonna let you go. Hold on, Cas,” Dean kept saying till Castiel breathed out his name, “Dean,” the deep and gravelly voice trembled, “I’ve often wondered about free-will. I know now that it is not free.” Dean dared not speak, Cas was so quiet now, his breaths shortening, he tried to comfort him, rubbing his shoulder, “I didn’t always make the right choice, Dean, and when I did, I wondered if it was worth the price I payed.” He struggled to speak, Dean put his face close to his to listen for his soft words, “I know that I made one right choice, and I know it was worth the price.”_

_“Then it’s worth staying around for, isn’t it, Cas?” Dean begged through his tears that betrayed his denial._

_“I want you to know what I fought for, Dean.” Cas turned to whisper on Dean’s ear. “I didn’t fight for free will, I didn’t fight for mankind, I fought for you and your brother. You were always worth it.” Dean held back shaking sobs, to keep Cas comfortable. He felt one last breath on his ear,  “Close your eyes, Dean.”_

 

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this. I just fleshed it out and added a little plot. 
> 
> http://holyfrackles.tumblr.com/post/46998897262/made-rebloggable-for-anon-im-sorry


End file.
